Call of Duty
by Didi
Summary: Evil lurks and the Space Rangers are on a mission to find a new Gold Ranger. Old friends reunite. Plus, a new ally appears, seeking its replacement.


Call of Duty  
By Didi  
  
Disclaimer: Don't own, don't sue, don't laugh.  
  
Note: Takes place after Power Rangers in Space but before Lost Galaxy. Evil lurks and the Space Rangers are on a mission to find a new Gold Ranger. Old friends reunite. Plus, a new ally appears, seeking its replacement.   
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"You've got to be kidding!" Andros shook his head in disbelief.  
  
"It must be done." The elder looked troubled. "Can you find him?"  
  
"I guess." Andros ran a hand though his shoulder length blond streaked brown hair. "We have to."  
  
"Yes, you must do this." The elder held the cloth wrapped case out to him. "He must resume his place. The galaxy needs him again."  
  
With a sigh of reluctance, Andros took it. "He is not going to like this. I thought that after Zordan....."  
  
"I know." The was great sorrow in his voice. "We had all thought that it would have ended. But evil knows no rest."  
  
Nodding with understanding, Andros tucked the case under his arm. "We'll find him. The Space Ranger and I will bring him back."  
  
"Thank you, Andros."  
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"ETA!"  
  
The computer's hollow voice ran out through the small ship. "Thirty six hour and forty eight minutes."  
  
The Chromium Ranger glanced desperately about its damaged ship. "Computer, do we have enough energy to get to Earth?"  
  
"Negative."  
  
"Great," the Ranger muttered under its breath. "Computer, shut off all unnecessary functions. Cut life support in half."  
  
"Warning! Cutting life support will..."  
  
"I know what will happen, you bucket of bolts. Just do it!"  
  
"Cutting life support."  
  
The Ranger sat slumped in its chair. "Come on, I need to get there. Please Zordan, protect me in my hour of need and help me find the chosen one."  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
"Earth?" Karon's brows wrinkled in concern. "We're going back to earth, again?"  
  
"What's the matter, darling?" Zhane reached out his hand to hers. "You're not worried are you?"  
  
"The people on Earth don't like me very much."  
  
"Can you blame them?" Cassie said tactlessly. "I mean, you did try to destroy them."  
  
"Cassie!" Ashley swatted her friend as she moved toward Karon. "Don't listen to her. I'm sure everything will be fine."  
  
Karon frowned but said nothing. She had promised herself that she would not all her past to rule her future. Yet she cannot help but fell the pangs of guilt when she thought of all the evil she had spread through the galaxy as the princess of darkness.  
  
"Karon?" Zhane squeezed her hand. "No one here blames you. And the people on Earth will forgive you for something you had no control of."  
  
She nodded and tried to smile at her beloved. The Silver Ranger return the smile with one of his own. All his boyish charm shone through in that smile.  
  
"Get your hands off my sister." Andros admonished lightly.   
  
"But I haven't even gotten started." Zhane said fluttering his lashes.  
  
The others laughed. It was a running joke within the team. Zhane's relationship with Karon brought out all kinds of protective instincts in her brother. But Andros knows that Zhane would rather cut off his right arm than harm Karon. Thus, they take delight in playing their roles as the protective older brother and the untrustworthy suitor.   
  
"So? We ready to go?" Andros asked as he took his seat and gave Ashley a smile that made her heart flutter.   
  
"Ready as ever."  
  
"Next stop, Earth!"  
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Zack's hand was study as he lifted the bar over his head. " 23.... 24.... 25.... 26.... 27.... 28...."  
  
Jason almost laughed as Tommy tried to teach a young boy a back over the head kick. Kimberly looked on with amusement as she helped a little girl with her handstands. The youth gym was more crowded than usual and successful with four of the most upstanding citizens in Angel Grove now running it. Kimberly, Zack, Jason and Tommy, after everything life has thrown at them have return to their beginnings and tried to give back to the community that they loved.  
  
And on the side ran a rather successful online business dealing with international trade thanks to Jason and Zack's experiences in the Peace Conference plus a now well-know dojo.  
  
"Okay guys, practice on your owe." Jason said as he ended the Karate classes.   
  
Tommy came over and leaned against the side bar. "Having fun?"  
  
"Kids are great!" Jason said with his usual smile. "I think some of them are ready for yellow soon."  
  
"Speaking of yellow," Kimberly said as she bounced over. Being an Olympic champion has done nothing for her vanity, if any it's made her appreciate the simple life even more. "I got a call from Trini yesterday."  
  
"Really?" Jason was all ears. "How is she?"  
  
"Almost done in Oxford." Kim said with a sly smile. It took her months after coming back to realize that dear Jason carried a torch for their former comrade-in-arms. "Says she'll be headed back this way in a week or two."  
  
Tommy tried to wipe the grin from his face at the way Jason's face lit up like a Christmas tree. "Did she decide on which company she was going to go with?"  
  
"Not yet but you know Trini, she may just decide to do something small."  
  
"Really?" Jason asked somewhat distracted now. He's thought were of their pretty friend that had yet to have a free moment in the past four years since entering Oxford's school of economy. "Think she'd come back here after bouncing around the world for so long?"  
  
"Why not?" Zack commented as he slung the towel around his neck. "We all did."  
  
"Yeah but we didn't get offers from the some of the top companies in DC."  
  
Zack grinned. "You did."  
  
"I'm no politician." Jason said with a quick laugh.  
  
Kim nodded her agreement. "Neither is Trini."  
  
"So the old gang will be reunited in a few weeks." Zack said with a smile. "Sounds like party to me!"  
  
"Wish Billy would be here." Kimberly sighed. "I miss him."  
  
"Me too." Tommy said with an arm around Kimberly's slight shoulder. "Think he'll be back for our wedding?"  
  
"Wedding!" Zack repeated with a shake of his head. "I can't believe the two of your will be married soon."  
  
Kimberly laughed. "Me either."   
  
Tommy and Kimberly exchanged glances of understand. The road back together had been a long and difficult one, filled with tense moments and complicated talks. Kimberly's letter had been but a rouse to free Tommy of nay obligations toward her; his relationship with Kat had hurt her deeply. But through it all, they still held that spark of love for one another. It lasted them through the difficult times and brought them back together.   
  
"I still have to get Trini to agree to be my maid of honor."  
  
"I'm sure she will." Tommy said with a quick kiss to her forehead. "In the mean time, let's get back to work."  
  
Zack sighed with content. "Don't you just love peace? No worries, no problems."  
  
----------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Trini silently cursed the fog that obscured her vision. England may be a beautiful country on warm summers day, but give her Angel Grove any time on nights like this. Struggling with six books plus her bag willed with grocery, she failed to hear the faint footsteps that followed her toward her flat.   
  
"Oh darn!" She muttered after dropping the books plus her keys as she neared the steps of her apartment building. "Just want I need. Knew I shouldn't have stayed at the library for so long."  
  
"Certainly glad you did though, now hand over your wallet."   
  
Trini felt the sharp blade against her collarbone and froze. *Great, a perfect way to end a really bad night. I'm getting mugged outside my own flat!* Something in her just simply didn't feel right allowing this to happen. "Mister, I'm really in no mood for this."  
  
"Just hand me the pounds and you can go." The voice was raspy and unclear. The British accent really didn't help.  
  
With a slight shake of her head, she sighed. "Don't say I didn't warn you."  
  
Her left hand went over her shoulder to grab the guy's wrist with the knife while her right elbow found home in the man's soft stomach. As the man gasped for air, her foot found his toes and stomped hard, causing the man to howled with pain. Twisting around, she still held his wrist as the edge of her palm connected solidly with his chin, sending him reeling back.   
  
"I told you I wasn't in the mood." With a sigh, she picked up her things and went into the flat. Once inside she glanced out the window at the man still lying prone on the sidewalk and grabbed her phone. "Scotland yards, please. I need to report an attempted mugging plus you're going to want to send an ambulance for the mugger."  
  
------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
"ETA!"   
  
"Three hours!" Cassie called out happily. "Three more hours and we'll be home."  
  
"Try not to bounce out of your chair." Carlos laughed.   
  
Andros smiled indulgently. "Remember, we're only here temporarily. The Kularous sector still needs us to help out against the pirates. We're just here to pick up the guy and then drop him off in the Omar sector."  
  
"Yeah yeah, I know." Cassie said with a wave of her hand. "But it doesn't mean I can't do a quick trip to the mall while we're here."  
  
"Oh no!" TJ moaned and slumped in his chair. "Here we go!"  
  
"Hey, just because you don't' have any fashion sense doesn't mean that I have to go around in this uniform all the time. Practical as it is, it's not exactly the most fashionable."  
  
Carlos shook his head and smiled in reaction while TJ just held his hands up in defeat.   
  
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"ETA!"   
  
"Three hours and twelve minutes."  
  
"Do we have enough energy?"  
  
"Affirmative."  
  
"Do we have enough for a planetary scan?"  
  
"Negative."  
  
"What if we cut life support?"  
  
"That is not advisable."  
  
"When I want your advise, I'll ask for it. Now answer me."  
  
"Affirmative."  
  
"ETA again?"  
  
"Three hours and ten minutes."  
  
"Cut life support as soon as we reach scanning range and begin planetary scans for the Chosen One."  
  
"Acknowledged."  
  
-------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
"What do you think of pink for the brides maids?" Kimberly asked as she poured over the bridal magazines.  
  
"Not if you want Trini to agree to be maid of honor." Tommy commented as he and Jason went through a series of Tai Chi moves. "Stick with yellow."  
  
"Hum...."   
  
"Okay," Zack said with a clap of his hand. "The gym is officially closed for the night."  
  
"Oh , thank goodness." Kimberly said with a great sigh. "Much as I love kids, if one more person asked me to spot them, I was going to scream."  
  
The boys laughed as they began to go through series of exercises.   
  
"I can't believe you two are still going at it." Kimberly said as she observe her fiancé and friend do some simple sparring moves. "Aren't you tired of it after an entire day of teaching kids to do that?"  
  
"Not really," Jason said easily blocking Tommy's arm. "Besides, I spend most of the day on the stock market reports."  
  
"Now that's fun!" sarcasm dipped in ice.  
  
"Besides, I was going to..."  
  
The beeping from the wall where four framed communications watches used during their days as power rangers hung, startled all four former rangers.  
  
"What the heck!" Zack exclaimed as they moved to look.  
  
"Think it's malfunctioned?" Tommy asked with grave doubts.  
  
"After all this time?" Jason shook his head. "No one knows the frequency but the old rangers."  
  
"Yeah so who do you think is calling us?" Kim asked she took the frame down. The watches all beeped again, almost causing Kimberly to drop the whole frame. Prying the back open, Kimberly picked up the pink watch and looked around her with caution before pressing the connect button. "Hello?"  
  
"Kimberly!"  
  
"Alpha?" The four exchanged startled glances.  
  
"I'm sorry to disturb you, pink ranger."  
  
"Alpha, where are you?"  
  
"In space with the Space Rangers. ETA in thirty minutes."  
  
"To Angel Grove?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
Jason smiled in reaction as they all glanced at one another in amusement and delight. It's been a while since they've seen their little friend.  
  
"Head for the gym, then. We'll be waiting."  
  
"Thank you, pink ranger."  
  
"Alpha?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"I'm not a ranger any more."  
  
"Kimberly," Alpha's voice seems so unbelievably cheerful. "You will always be a Power Ranger!"  
  
"Thanks Alpha. We'll see you in a few."  
  
-------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
"Computer? Results?"  
  
"Still scanning."  
  
The air was becoming too thin on board the ship. Oxygen was becoming an issue. "Computer, take us into the atmosphere. Maybe we won't need the life support that way."  
  
"Knowledge." The computer paused a few moments as the Chromium Ranger took shallow breathes. "Scan complete."  
  
"Results!"  
  
"Chosen One located."  
  
"Take us there and restore life support."   
  
"Affirmative."  
  
"Thank the heavens."  
  
-------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
"Alpha!"   
  
"Kimberly!"  
  
The two rushed into each other's arms as the others stood back and watched with amusement. The two laughed with joy and Kimberly went on for a minute about her wedding plans before Andros interrupted them.  
  
"I'm sorry to break this up but we are here on an urgent mission that we hope you can help us." Andros was earnest in his plead though he didn't life asking for held. With all the old computers and data destroyed and Alpha's memory chip damaged, they had no form of identification. "I am Andros, this is TJ, Cassie, Ashley, Carlos, Zhane and my sister Karon."  
  
Tommy frowned as Karon gave a quick nod of greeting. "Hey, you look like that woman."  
  
"What woman?" Zack asked.  
  
"Astronema."  
  
Karon flinched at the name and moved back into Zhane's arms. "That's because I am Astronema. That is, I was."  
  
The four older Rangers nodded. "We understand."  
  
Tommy gave Karon as reassuring smile before turning back to much relieved Andros. "We can we do for you."  
  
"We are here on behalf of the high council. The Gold Ranger has been killed in battle."  
  
"Oh no!" Kimberly grabbed Tommy's arm, while the others all looked stunned.  
  
"We're here for the Ranger known as Jason. We need him to return to the Omar sector with us and take up the mantel of the Gold Ranger once again. The command post has been destroyed so we have pictures of any kind as a way to identify him. King Mono purged Alpha's memory chips during a state of virus infection. We were hoping that you would help us locate him."  
  
The others turned to Jason who sighed and shook his head at the coincidence. "Well, you don't have to do a lot of looking. I'm Jason."  
  
The others were stunned to silence for a moment. Andros smiled and sighed in relief. "Well that was easy."  
  
Cassie pouted. "So much for the shopping trip."  
  
Zhane held out the box. "I think this belongs to you."  
  
Andros opened the box while Zhane held it. Inside, wrapped in silk was the gold scepter held by the gold ranger. It gleamed dully in the light of the gym and Jason ran a callused hand over the smooth edge. It's been so long since he's held it.   
  
"Are you guys sure about this?" Jason asked not wanting to pick up something he had put down so long ago. "I mean, I also thought that...."  
  
"The gold scepter still retains your memory. It cannot be activated by anyone else now."  
  
"But...."  
  
"Pease," Andros said as he handed the scepter to Jason. "You are the one."  
  
Jason nodded and held it in his hand for a moment. In a blinding flash of life, the scepter disappeared and around Jason's wrists was his morphers. They felt strange now on him. It has been too long.  
  
"Wow!" Zack murmured. "Now that's cool."  
  
"Guess we'll be needing another instructor." Tommy joked as he patted his friend on the back. "Good luck to you man."  
  
Kimberly gave him a right hug. "You are going to come back for the wedding! I won't take no for an answer."  
  
"I'll be back, I promise." Jason whispered as the hugged her back. He turned back to the Space Rangers. "Who's protecting the galaxy now?"  
  
"The Chromium Ranger is watching both sectors. We should...." The beeping of their communicators was never a good thing.  
  
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"Finally!" Trini muttered with annoyance. Her last day at the university was not a good one but she wasa glad it's over. Now she could relax for a few days while she got ready to return to the States. Kimberly had promised her a well deserved trip to the spa once she gets back to Angel Grove. That plus a party and Jason.   
  
She smiled absentmindedly to herself as she made her way back to her flat. The days here in England had been rather dull without her friends. Jason and Zack had parted companies when her after the International Peace Conference to pursue their own interests. For Trini, it had been even harder to leave them than it had been to leave the Power Rangers. The sporadic e-mails and letters from the others had sustained her through the past four years. Now she was finally going home.  
  
Jason, that man was going to be the death of her. How could she go back and not tell him about her feelings for him? He's been in her thoughts more and more since his visit with her almost a year ago. It wasn't until he left she realized why she could no longer be at peace with what she felt. *Darn it! How did the heck did I end up falling in love with him?*  
  
Preoccupied with her thoughts, once again Trini fell victim to an approaching figure in the dark. But her like her would be mugger, who was now serving a little time in the local bobby's jail, this one was well trained and knew how to keep one's captive incapacitated.   
  
One arm around her neck angling her neck in a precarious position and another one twisting her arm back behind her, left Trini completely helpless as he dragged her into a darkened alley.  
  
"What do you want?"  
  
"Peace, Ranger. I just needed to get you off the streets." He left go slowly so not to alarm her.  
  
Trini twisted around and gasped in shock at the Power Ranger before her. Dressed from head to foot in a strange metallic silvery-blue material, the Ranger appeared to be having some trouble standing. Similar to the Gold Ranger's uniform, this ranger worse a semi-circular vest over its shoulders.   
  
"Are you all right?" Trini knelt down as the Ranger slumped against the wall. "I'll get help."  
  
"No time." It grabbed her arm and pulled down near him. "Listen to me, I'm dying. There isn't much anyone can do for me. The other Rangers are on their way to find another Gold Ranger, you need to be there when they leave. My ship is on it's last leg and is currently transmitting on a wide band for the others to look for you."  
  
"I don't understand." Trini tried to help the Ranger into a sitting position.   
  
"You are the Chosen One. One that is predestined to carry on the call of duty as the Chromium Ranger."  
  
"Chromium Ranger?"  
  
"Here," its pressed a button under it's gloved wrist. Demorphing, a strange blue skinned red hair woman appeared before her. "You need to put this on." Handing over the small wrist morpher, she buckled it onto Trini's wrist.  
  
"I can't!" Trini tried to stop her but failed as she sudden felt as if the morpher was being burned into her skin. "Ow......"  
  
"It becomes you!" The pale blue lips grasped as lungs forced more air in. "Listen, find the others. Save the Omar sector."  
  
"What about you?" Trini could feel her eyes fill with tears as the woman labored for every breath.   
  
For some reason, those alien red eyes twinkled with happiness. "Don't worry about me. My species leaves nothing behind when we pass on to the next dimension. You will know when you need to pass on the duty. As I say, it comes you. You are now the Chromium Ranger."  
  
Trini nodded as she woman took her last breath and sighed her relief. With teary eyes, the former yellow ranger, now chromium ranger, watched as the alien woman slow dissipated into the air, being carried by some universal force to her final resting place.  
  
-----------------------------------------------------------  
  
"Oh my...." Andros stared at the transmission in horror.  
  
"What is it?" Zack asked even as his eyes wondered over the Megaship.   
  
"What happened?" Jason's eyes filled with concern as he watched Andros's brows knit together in a panic. "Did something happen?"  
  
Zhane took the transmission from his friend and poured over it quickly. "Oh man! The Chromium Ranger passed on."  
  
"What?!?"  
  
Karon rushed over. "Jazar is gone?"  
  
"That's what it says."  
  
"But...... What about the Chromium morpher?"  
  
Andros frowned. "She was her way to find the next Chromium Ranger."  
  
"Where?" Tommy asked as Kimberly reached over to hold his hand.  
  
"Here on Earth." Andros's eyes narrowed with concern. "If she passed on here, then there is a chance that the new Chromium Ranger will need our help getting back. And that would also mean that no one is watching the sectors."  
  
"Man!" TJ muttered his concerned but waited for the others.  
  
"How do we find him?" Jason asked immediately.  
  
"We don't. We wait for the new Chromium Ranger to find us." Andros said as he went to the controls. "Deca, send out wide band homing beacon here. Let's hope Jazar got to the new Ranger first."  
  
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"Come Kimberly, pick up the phone. Where are you?" Trini muttered as the phone rang and rang. She needed to talk to her friend right now. Things were quickly spiraling out of her control on her.  
  
Dropping the phone, she grabbed her overnight bag. There wasn't too much time. If everything the blue woman said was true, she's got very little time to prepare for what was to come.   
  
"Are you always this rattled?"  
  
"What?" Trini whirled around in a start. "Who's there?"  
  
"You know, you would do better if you add a tone civility."  
  
"Where are you?"  
  
"Right here."  
  
"Where?"  
  
"Here!"  
  
Trini winced and shut her eyes. Then slowly, preparing for the worse, she looked down at the morpher now prominently attached to her left wrist. "Oh please, don't tell me."  
  
"Well, it's nice to meet you too." A tiny pale blue light blinked as the morpher spoke. "I'm Crono. Your Ranger friendly morpher data base."  
  
"Oh gosh!" Trini frowned down at her own wrist and felt like a fool. "I'm talking to my watch."  
  
"I'm a morpher, not a watch."  
  
"Sorry," Trini sighed and sat own for the first time since the meeting with her destiny. "I'm just a little thrown right now."  
  
The computer clicked in sympathy. "Didn't give you much of a chance to let it all sink in, did she?"  
  
"You can say that." She looked out on the foggy daylight that was left. "Not that she really had much of a choice in that matter. She left so quickly."  
  
"Yes, she did. Jazar used the last of her life energy to get here. She knew her duties." The computer clicked again with what would have been regret. "Well don't worry. Crono is here and Crono will take good care of you."  
  
She smiled in reaction. "You sure I have to do this?"  
  
"Yes, and don't worry, I'll tell you when it is time to pass on the duty, just like I've done for all the other chromium rangers before you."  
  
"You pick the Rangers?"  
  
"*Fate* picks the rangers. I just point you the way."  
  
Trini nodded as if truly understanding. "And it pointed my way?"  
  
"Yes it did."  
  
"So couldn't you just name the one that comes after me and let me get back to my life?"  
  
"No! The next Chromium Ranger isn't even born yet!" It seemed outraged by the suggestion. "Besides, you have anything better to do at the moment?"  
  
Trini frowned and thought of the hot bath that had been so inviting only an hour before. She thought of her family that was expecting her back in Angel Grove. The jobs from offers from Washington. The plans she had with Kimberly to go to the Spa. The Wedding that Tommy and Kimberly were planning on having. The first real vacation in nearly six years. Jason.   
  
Then she thought of the billions of people in the Omar sector, people she didn't even know existed. She thought of women, children, and elders. She thought of Zordan and the Power Rangers, their mission of peace. She thought of being the last hope for these people. She thought of Jason and his honor.  
  
"No, not at the moment."  
  
"Good!" Crono twittered with excitement. "Now, we should get started. And don't worry, you'll get it as you go."  
  
"You said that the next Chromium Ranger isn't born yet. Does this mean that I would have to be the Chromium Ranger for the rest of my life?"  
  
"Pretty much, unless you get killed before the next ranger is ready. Then I go into hibernation until she is."  
  
"Okay." She sighed again. "What do we do first?"  
  
"Well first, you are going to morph. I'm getting an incoming signal from the Space Rangers. They've got the next Gold Ranger and are waiting for you."  
  
Trini nodded and stood up. She felt the weight of the morpher on her wrist. It's been too long.   
  
------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
The others looked up as Deca blinked to life. "Andros, incoming."  
  
"What?" Kimberly looked around. "What's going on?"  
  
"Chromium Ranger is here." Ashley explained as Andros looked over at the viewing screen.   
  
"Deca, guide the new Ranger to the bridge." Andros said as they all stood waiting. Kimberly and Tommy held hands. Zack waited impatiently with excitement. Jason prepared himself for his new partner.  
  
They all turned as the Chromium Ranger took a hesitated step onto the bridge. The silvery blue uniform gave them all a hesitating state. Karon stepped out first.  
  
"Jazar?"  
  
When the Ranger shook its head, Karon nodded and said a silent prayer for the passing of a Power Ranger.  
  
Andros expended his hands in greeting. "I am Andros, my sister Karon. Welcome, Chromium Ranger. We look forward to working with you. This Jason, he is new...."  
  
The Chromium Ranger held out one hand in silence. Reaching up, it unlatched the helmet and pulled it off slowly and with great relief. Long raven locks spilled out from beneath the silvery helmet followed by a very familiar face appearing.  
  
"TRINI?"   
  
She gave a weak smiled before throwing herself into Jason's arm with a sigh. "You don't know how glad I am to see you."  
  
Jason gasped in shock. Trini! His Trini is the new Chromium Ranger. His new partner!  
  
Kimberly stood there shocked, not quite processing everything yet. "Trini, what are you doing here?"  
  
Trini looked over at her from within Jason's arms. "Looks like I'm answering the call of duty."  
  
The end......  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
I'm thinking of a sequel with Trini and Jason on their own against a new evil since this fan fic didn't quite work out the way I wanted it to.  



End file.
